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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitch · rush · fall · file · pop · safe

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fall — to drop
  3. file — a tool
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pop — soda
  12. fall — the season
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pop — music
  18. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com